This invention relates generally to fastener driving tools and, more particularly, to a fastener driving tool with a magazine attachment that allows a single fastener driving tool to carry and drive fasteners from a plurality of fastener slides, each containing fasteners of a different size.
The prior art bears a variety of references disclosing improvements in the feeding mechanism for nail or fastener driving tools. Most of the devices disclosed in these references are directed toward improvements in the magazine, which holds a supply of nails or fasteners, to aid in the efficiency of feeding the fasteners to the driving mechanism of the tool.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,625; 5,897,046; and 5,975,399 are directed to magazine assemblies that have means for constantly urging nails or fasteners along a guide toward the driving mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,625 discloses a nail guide plate and a nail cover which combine to form a guide groove which guides nails from a nail magazine to the nose where the driving mechanism is located. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,897,046 and 5,975,399 describe a fastener driving apparatus which includes a magazine and a transport slide that allows fastening elements held by a carrying strip to be used and which moves the carrying strip opposite to the transporting direction in the magazine without the expenditure of force. The devices disclosed in these references are limited to using a single size fastener at any one time.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,522,533 and 5,813,588 relate to magazine assemblies for fastener driving tools that are adaptable for dispensing different size or quantities of fasteners. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,533 discloses a magazine with a slide door forming a fastener storing chamber which is capable of holding fasteners of varying sizes. A pusher urges a strip of fasteners toward the driving mechanism. A directing member ensures that the fasteners are flush against the bottom surface of the fastener storing chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,588 describes a magazine assembly with a track element with a plurality of slide grooves to accommodate differing lengths of fasteners. A longitudinal track element and a guide plate combine to secure fasteners into the track element. While the above devices are capable of holding and driving fasteners of different sizes, only one size fastener can be used at one time. If a different sized nail or fastener is required, the remaining fasteners must be removed from the magazine so that the desired fasteners may be loaded.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a device that allows a fastener driving tool to carry a plurality of different sized fasteners at the same time.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a device that allows an operator of a fastener driving tool to choose among a plurality of different sized fasteners, each being immediately available to the operator without requiring that the other fasteners be removed from the tool.
In accordance with the above aspects of the invention, there is provided a fastener driving tool attachment with a magazine composed of a plurality of fastener slides. In one embodiment, the fastener slides are arranged around a central core. A rod attached to a handle on the tool and leading to a driver in the tool fits within the central core. The central core fits slidably around the rod, forming a center of rotation for the magazine. When attached with the rod, one end of the magazine abuts the driver. During rotation of the magazine, each fastener slide can be aligned with the driver. The magazine is temporarily held in a position in which one of the fastener slides is aligned with the driver by a position locking means. While the fastener slide is held in alignment with the driver, a feed means forces the fasteners in the slide toward and into the driver. If the operator desires to use a different size nail, he or she simply rotates the magazine until the fastener slide containing the desired size of fastener is aligned with the driver.
In another embodiment, the fastener slides are arranged in a parallel relationship to one another. The slides are a fixed part of a magazine which is attached to the fastener driving tool. The magazine may be shifted in a lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of the slides. A position locking means positions the magazine to allow alignment of each fastener slide with the driver. A feed means forces fasteners down the slide and into the driver. If the operator desires to use a different size fastener, he or she simply releases the position locking means to allow shifting of the magazine. When the fastener slide containing the desired fasteners is aligned with the driver, the operator engages the position locking means.
These aspects are merely illustrative aspects of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings.